


No More Lines

by tellthenight



Series: Christmas 2015 [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Coming Out, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-05-03 21:09:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5306861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellthenight/pseuds/tellthenight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas's christmas is cancelled when his parents find out he's gay and Dean asks him to come home for Christmas with his family instead.</p><p>This fic was written for the destiel christmas minibang prompt <b>stockings</b>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No More Lines

**Author's Note:**

> The stories in this series are not affiliated in any way aside from all being written for the destiel Christmas minibang.

“Hey, babe!” Dean called from the kitchen. “I picked up burgers on the way home. I hope that’s okay. I won’t have time to cook tonight before we go to Sam’s school thing.” Dean started unpacking the bag but when Cas didn’t say anything back he paused. “Babe?”

 

Cas was home; his car was parked out front and his jacket was hanging on it’s usual hook.

 

“Cas?” He called again and checked the living room before hustling up the stairs. He opened the door to their bedroom expecting to find him there with earbuds in as he had so often but the bed was neatly made. “Cas!” He called again, harder this time because the blood pumping in his ears threatened to drown all other sound.

 

“Here.”

 

It was faint but he heard him and Dean scrambled to the little room where Cas worked down the hall. Cas lay on the bed they’d set up in there for whenever Sam needed a place to crash. His legs streaked up the wall and his head hanging off the edge of the bed.

 

“What the hell, man.” Dean leaned over hands on knees sucking in air. “You scared the shit out of me when you didn’t answer right away.”

 

“They said I can’t come home.”

 

“What?” Dean asked. Cas was still wearing the same clothes he’d been wearing when Dean left for work that morning and his face was streaked with dry tear trails. That was when Dean recognized the red-rimmed eyes and phone clutched across Cas’s chest.

 

“My father called this morning,” Cas said.

 

Dean sat down next to him but Cas’s eyes didn’t stray from the ceiling. “And?”

 

“I’m no longer invited home for Christmas.”

 

“But you went on vacation with them in, like, August.”

 

“Someone told them about us.” Cas said it so simply but the words sliced into Dean with a bite a fraction what he knew Cas felt.

 

“Cas-”

 

“I know you wanted me to do it already.” Cas swallowed hard and when he spoke again it was slow and deliberate like each word cut across him. “I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me at Christmas and tell them together.”

 

Dean’s heart sank. Yeah, they’d argued about it a few times. They were out to their friends and coworkers and Dean’s family, but Cas hadn’t made the jump with his own family and Dean understood the loss of being able to tell them on his own terms.

 

“I would have said yes, Cas.”

 

Fresh tears leaked from the corners of Cas’s eyes. “I know.”

 

They sat quiet while Dean waited for Cas to say something else. He reached over and pried the cell phone from Cas’s hand and replaced it with his own hand, twining their fingers together and squeezing hard when he was through. “Can I ask what he said?”

 

“He asked if I knew you. I told him yes. He asked what our relationship was and I almost told him right then. I was about to, I think, but he flipped, and…” Cas sniffed and took a long breath after. “I don’t know. Someone told him and as long as I’m “like this” I can’t come home.”

 

“You are home, Cas.”

 

Cas let his head fall to the side so he could see Dean clearly, and the sorrow in his eyes drew Dean close. He kissed Cas, a simple touch of their lips together to remind him who loved him and Cas answered him with a hand at Dean’s neck to keep him close.

 

“What can I do, Cas?” Dean breathed against his skin.

 

“I don’t know.” Cas breathed hard against more tears coming and Dean pulled him up to sitting so he could hold him while he cried.

  
  


***

  
  


“Where is he?” Sam asked.

 

“Still sleeping,” Dean poured a second cup of coffee for himself and offered Sam a cup as well. “Sit, Sam. I’m not going to let you wake him up to make sure he’s alright. He’s not alright. He won’t be for awhile.”

 

“I know.” Sam sat, but his left knee bounced out of control and he kept glancing over his shoulder to the staircase.

 

“Look, don’t- I mean, if you’re going to be all over him about it you should just go. He’s already upset enough and-”

 

“I got it, okay?” Sam looked into the coffee he wasn’t drinking. “Cas is just- you know. He’s my brother too and this feels just like when you got outed to dad.”

 

“It’s not like that,” Dean said and Sam scoffed until Dean cut him off with a glare. “No one’s coming after him with a baseball bat, Sam. They’re just cutting him off cold.”

 

“Good riddance,” Sam mumbled and Dean shrugged.

 

“I guess.”

 

Cas came down while Sam was telling Dean about the award he’d received the night before from the college and when Sam finished Cas apologized for their absence.

 

“It was really boring, Cas. You didn’t miss anything.”

 

“Well, we should have been there,” Cas said. “Dean at least.”

 

Sam stood and wrapped his arms around Cas. “You’re more important than all that.”

 

Cas just sort of stared off while Sam hugged him, and that worried Dean more than anything.

 

“So, Sammy and I were talking about doing Christmas morning here this year,” Dean said after Cas got his own cup of coffee.

 

“No, you want to do it with Bobby and Ellen and everyone. Don’t change things for me.”

 

“We want to. It’s okay for one year, right?” Sam asked.

 

“No.” Cas’s eyes bored into Dean’s the way they did when he felt most passionate. “Dean, don’t do this.”

 

Dean took him all in, his eyes still red from sitting up half the night in tears, the dark circles, worry lining his forehead. “Okay, babe. Whatever you want. But you’re coming with us to Bobby’s then.”

 

“Dean-” Sam started, but just a look from his brother and he went quiet.

 

They ended up watching movies most of the day and Cas half-slept most of the time, tucked against Dean’s warm body. Sam went back to the dorm to sleep. He had to pack up by the end of the weekend anyway for Christmas break. Cas got a glass of water from the kitchen, and as he climbed the stairs to go to bed Dean thought he’d never seen anyone so exhausted by life at 26 as Castiel was right then. He cleaned up from the day, and joined Cas in bed a few minutes later, wrapping protective arms around him and pressing promises into his skin with each kiss.

 

When Cas finally got up the next day, Dean was waiting on the couch. “Feel better?” he asked.

 

“Some.” Cas said as he sat curled up on one end. He stared off like he’d done the other day and just when Dean felt like he had to call him on it Cas seemed to snap back and looked right into Dean’s eyes like he was home and well. “They aren’t my life any more. They see me a couple times a year and as long as I fit myself into what they want they act like my family.” Cas sat up straight and reached for Dean’s hands. “You’re here every day, even when I am terrible to you and-”

 

“Cas, you’re never terrible to me.” Dean squeezed his boyfriend’s hands, hoping the added sensation might actually lead to Cas hearing him.

 

“You’re my life now,” Cas continued. “You have been for four years and I’m sorry I didn’t tell them sooner, because honestly this would have been the reaction no matter when I told them. It wasn’t fair to you and-”

 

“Come on, Cas. Don’t make this about me. I understand why you didn’t want to tell them.”

 

Cas sighed and started to protest him again, but Dean leaned and kissed him firmly. “You don’t have to explain to me. Please just don’t even do it.”

 

Cas looked down and Dean tried to understand. Four years they’d been together, and he was still battling Cas’s ever-present willingness to misjudge himself. “I love you no matter what, okay?” Dean said. “You can feel however you want to about your family ditching you like this. It fucking sucks. And I’ll still be here for whatever you need, you know? I was a big fucking mess when my dad found out.”

 

“I want to go with you to Bobby’s for Christmas,” Cas said suddenly. “I don’t want to dwell on this. I just want to be with people that actually like me.”

 

Dean kissed him, lightly this time. “Good,” he said. “Everyone’s been pestering me to get you over there for Christmas ever since we got together.”

  
  


***

  
  


They all greeted Cas a little too loudly with their overbright smiles and everyone offering to get him something to eat or drink. Dean followed behind with a hand on Cas’s shoulder, meaning it to be a comfort as he went through the gauntlet of Bobby, Ellen, Jo, Ash, Sam and Jess.

 

“Alright, guys. Cut it out. You’ve known me for years. Stop trying to stuff my face.” Cas smiled like he meant it and everyone laughed before going back to whatever they’d been doing before. Dean nodded toward the kitchen and they went in there to drop off the pies they’d made together the day before.

 

“You’re amazing.” Dean said and Cas grinned as Dean pulled him close at the waist, bumping their bodies together.

 

“I don’t know why I’m suddenly amazing, but I’ll take it.” He breathed against Dean’s mouth before meeting it for contact short and sweet.

 

“You don’t have to pretend here, Cas.”

 

Cas ducked his head at that. “I know.”

 

Dean tucked down with him to catch his eyes. “I love you.”

 

“I know,” Cas said, and the smile actually reached his eyes.

 

Dean’s eyes lit too and he grinned. “Let’s go kick Ash’s ass in poker before dinner then.”

  
  


***

  
  


Ellen and Bobby worked magic together in the kitchen every year and this year was no exception. Cas just hadn’t actually seen Ellen hip check anyone that got in her way before and listened to Bobby bitch about the potatoes being lumpier than he’d intended.

 

“Who’s doing my dishes?” Ellen asked as everyone was finishing up.

 

“Me and Cas got it,” Dean volunteered as he squeezed Cas’s knee under the table. Cas looked at him, brows drawn together in question, but he followed Dean to the kitchen and watched as Dean filled the sink with suds.

 

“We’re the dish washers?”

 

Dean winked at him. “Someone has to do it and it’s an easier job than trying to figure out the tetris puzzle of fitting leftovers into containers and then stacking them in the fridge.” He grabbed a towel from one of the drawers and tossed it to Cas. “I’ll wash, you dry.”

 

Jo came in with the first stack of plates and after that it felt like a steady stream until it was just the two of them alone together working side by side. Dean kept stealing little glances at Cas until Cas finally asked.

 

“What’s going on with you?”

 

“What do you mean?” Dean asked as he rinsed the last plate and handed it to Cas.

 

“I don’t know. You just- see? You’re doing it again. That weird little look you keep giving me.”

 

Dean let the water out of the sink and smiled to himself. Cas made an exasperated noise next to him and Dean laughed before he turned to Cas, fingers moving quick to hold his face and kiss his lips. Cas gave in in an instant. His lips moved to match Dean’s and even to challenge him, but Dean was really in control there and when he broke free Dean smiled.

 

“What was that for?” Cas asked.

 

“I love you. I’m really glad we’re having Christmas together this year.”

 

Cas colored a little at the words and started to duck again, but Dean held his chin up so Cas had to look him in the eye. “Has everything been okay?”

 

“More than okay,” Cas said with a smile. He raised his arms to loop over Dean’s shoulders and Dean dropped his hands to Cas’s waist. “Thank you,” Cas said.

 

“Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t seen what I got you for Christmas. Maybe it’ll ruin the whole thing.” Dean wagged his eyebrows and Cas laughed full on and kissed him again.

 

“Guys! We want to open presents!” Sam yelled from the other room. “Stop making out!”

 

Cas started to pull away to follow Sam’s direction, but Dean held him tight and Cas relaxed back with him again. “You’re not interested in presents?”

 

“I’ve always been more interested in you,” Dean said.

 

“You know we’re together, right? You don’t have to keep using lines on me,” Cas teased.

 

Dean nipped at Cas’s lower lip, settling for a light kiss. “You think my lines are adorable,” he said quietly and Cas chuckled.

 

“You’re right.”

 

Footsteps sounded in the hall and then Sam’s heavy hand hit the doorframe. “You actually are making out? God- get out here before we start without you.”

 

Dean laughed and winked at Cas before he took him by the hand to lead him to the living room.

 

They had already sorted the gifts into little piles and Dean and Cas took the places everyone had left them on the couch. They were all a little heavier than they had been a few hours earlier but a little happier too.

 

“Oh, stockings!” Ellen said. “Sam, would you get them down for everyone?”

 

Sam obeyed, because no one disobeyed Ellen except for Jo. Sam retrieved the stockings from where they hung on the mantel and Jess took on the job of passing them out to everyone.

 

Cas looked genuinely surprised when Jess gave one to him. It was several shades of deep blue with a star bursting from the heel, and he traced the place at the top where someone had embroidered his name in neat even cursive.

 

“Be glad I like you so much, kid,” Ellen said. “Embroidery is not my best subject,”

 

“It’s beautiful, Ellen.” Cas said, trying not to choke up. He pressed into Dean’s side and Dean’s arm automatically went around him.

 

“I think Cas goes first this year, right?” Jess asked, and there were nods around the room even as Cas protested.

 

“No, just do whatever you normally do,” Cas pleaded. He looked to Dean for backup, but Dean smiled along with everyone else.

 

“We just pick someone different every year,” he said. “Might as well be you. Start with the big stuff.”

 

Cas looked around at everyone, shaking his head even as he picked up the first package. There were books from Sam, Jess and Ash, and a CD from Jo. Ellen had bought him a sweater vest that Dean heartily approved of and she attached Bobby’s name to it too.

 

“Stocking too,” Jo passed a huge bowl their way and Cas looked at Dean in confusion.

 

“Stockings are tradition, right? But none of us are little enough for Santa anymore so we put candy in the stockings and sometimes other little things,” Dean said. “We all pour it in the big bowl to share.”

 

“Okay,” Cas said and tipped the stocking over the bowl. Individually wrapped bites of candy bars and little packs of skittles and M&Ms came pouring out and at the end a little box that landed neatly in the center of the bowl.

 

“Dean-” Cas started but Dean was already in motion, the box in his hand and him down on one knee in front of Cas. He opened the box and inside were two thin gold bands perfectly matched in every way.

 

Dean waited to speak until Cas’s eyes were fully back on him seeking answers. “Cas, I love you and I want to spend my life with you. I know that you know all of that, but I want everyone else to know how we feel about each other too.” He breathed deep and nervous before he asked. “Cas, will you marry me?”

 

Cas didn’t say anything for a long terrible moment until Dean put a hand on his knee and brought him back to present. “Cas?” he smiled at him. “You don’t have to say yes if you’re not ready. You always have me anyway.”

 

Cas nodded vaguely and Dean watched the muscles in his jaw work through the emotion his face never showed. “Yes, Dean. Of course I will.”

 

Dean surged up and kissed him, the ring box forgotten in Cas’s lap while Dean’s hands were occupied at Cas’s neck and face. “I mean it,” Dean whispered against him. “If you don’t want to-”

 

“I said yes, Dean,” Cas grinned and Dean broke into a sheepish smile as well.

 

“Are you sure? Because-”

 

Cas kissed him long enough to shush him then bumped their foreheads together. “You have me, okay? I told you you don’t need any more lines.”

 

Dean laughed. “‘Will you marry me’ isn’t a line, Cas.”

 

“Well it worked, okay? You got me.”

 

Dean nodded against him, the wild grin Cas loved most on those lips appearing. “Damn straight I got you,” Dean said.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate your comments.
> 
> You can find me and my writing at captainawesomeellie.tumblr.com


End file.
